Combating Nuclear Trafficking in the Former Soviet Union & Eastern Europe: U.S. Nonproliferation Assistance and the Illicit Nuclear Trade, 1997-2009
Creator
Weiss, Sarah G.
Advisor
Lester, Genevieve A.
Abstract
The illicit trafficking of fissile and radioactive materials emerged as a prominent threat following the collapse of the USSR. In the aftermath of September 11th, the issue has received renewed attention due to the increasing concern that terrorists could acquire the necessary materials to develop an improvised nuclear device (IND) or radiological dispersal device (RDD, also known as a dirty bomb). This study first addresses the challenges to working with nuclear trafficking data and conducts a comparative analysis of trends in open vs. restricted-access databases of nuclear smuggling incidents. The study then turns to its main focus: utilizing open-source data to examine the relationship between U.S. funding for threat reduction and border security programs and nuclear smuggling in the former Soviet Union (FSU) and Eastern Europe. In doing so, it seeks to answer two key questions: First, is U.S. funding appropriately targeted to address known smuggling routes? Second, how has U.S. assistance impacted the number of nuclear trafficking incidents in the FSU and Eastern Europe? In the process of answering these questions, the study also identifies and describes a probable Eastern smuggling route through Siberia to South and East Asia.
Description
M.A.
Permanent Link
http://hdl.handle.net/10822/558177Date Published
2011Subject
Type
Publisher
Georgetown University
Extent
59 leaves
Collections
Metadata
Show full item recordRelated items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Freedom of the Press and Corruption in the Former Soviet Union
Mills, Abby; Mills, Abby (2010-02-02)This paper examines the effect of freedom of the press on corruption levels in the countries and satellite states of the former Soviet Union. Though these countries have common issues resulting from their shared heritage ...